Petition of Elisha Godfrey, 10 November 1847, Northumberland County. Transcription.

That a number of years past, one Alexander Harvey
agreed with Barnaby Julien and others, Chiefs of the Julien
Tribe of Indians, residing on the Little South West River, for
a Lease of a Lot of the Indian Reserve; known as lot No 16 -
on the North side of said River; containing one hundred and
five acres; a Lease of which Land the said Chiefs executed
to him -

That a short time afterwards, the said Chiefs
applied to the said Alexander Harvey, to purchase the said
land from them; as they were anxious to raise a sum of money,
to enable them to contribute towards the erection of a place of
Public Worship, in their settlement at Red Bank, -

That the said Alexander Harvey agreed with
the said Chiefs, for a Release of their interest in the said
Land, for the sum of £37, - of which sum he paid £20,
for them towards the erection of the said palce of worship,
and the balance he paid to the chiefs, and obtained from
them their title free of Rent.

That at the time the said Alexander Harvey
leased from the Indians, the Land was in a Wilderness state,
without any improvements having been made thereon; and it remained in that state until the year of 1842, when your
Petitioner purchased the said Land from the said Alexander
Harvey, and paid therefore the sum of £60.: the several
conveyances and titles above mentioned, Your Petitioner exhibited
to William Salter Esquire Indian Commissioner.

That at the time Your Petitioner purchased from
Harvey, the Indians were granting conveyances of the said
Reserve, without any objections having been made by Government
up to that period as your Petitioner was informed; which
induced Your Petitioner and others to believe, that any title or
arrangement made with the Indians, founded on honesty and
justice, and in which the Indians had received value for
the property they conveyed, would be sanctioned by Government;
and from this Your Petitioner was induced to give the large
sum of £60 - for the said lot, a sum far exceeding the
price of Crown Lands -

That the said Land has been advertized to
be sold by the said Commissioner at the rate of six
shillings per acre, and your Petitioner perceives that there is
no distinction made, between the price of your Petitioners land,
and that of some others who have never paid any amount
by way of purchase from the Indians, but merely held as
Tenants at a yearly Rent; thereby placing your Petitioner,
who has already paid more than the value of his land, on no better footing, than the person who never paid anything.

Your Petitioner humbly conceives, that if your
Excellency should determine that your Petitioner must again
purchase and pay for his land, that on the above facts being
brought under your Excellencys notice, that the position in
which Your Petitioner stands with respect to his land,
differing from the situation of most of the settlers on the
Indian Reserves, that Your Excellency would take into
consideration, the amount Your Petitioner has already paid,
and reduce the price of the said Lot, and thereby make a
distinction between Your Petitioner, and those who have never
paid anything by way of purchase.

Your Petitioner would therefore humbly pray
that your Excellency would take the circumstance
connected with Your Petitioners case, into your
Excellencys favourable consideration, and reduce
the price of Your Petitioners land, or grant such
other relief in the premise as to your Excellency
may seem meet.

Land
Charles Griffiths
A Settler on the Little
S West Indian Reserve
prays a reduction in
the upset price on his
lot.
Nov 17/47

In Col Feb 10/48
To Hand over

This lot is at present advertised for sale by
M^r. Salter on the 22nd proximo, at the upset price of
6 / an acre. - 105 acres. -